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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25943884">Punk. Jerk.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrazyBabyEighty8/pseuds/CrazyBabyEighty8'>CrazyBabyEighty8</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Civil War Fix-It, Coming Out, Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts, I Will Go Down With This Ship, M/M, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Pre-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Quote: I'm with you 'til the end of the line (Marvel), Stuck on stucky, Stucky - Freeform, give captain america a boyfriend, ship them</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 06:42:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,360</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25943884</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrazyBabyEighty8/pseuds/CrazyBabyEighty8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Post Captain America Civil War<br/>Pre Avengers Infinity War</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James "Bucky" Barnes &amp; Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Punk. Jerk.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Natasha had been trying get a hold of Steve for days, so she decided to make a trip over to his place... Steve's not there, doesn't look like anyone has been for days... Out of habit (and kindness) she tidys up a bit while she waits, after about an hour she leaves a note and heads out.<br/>
Natasha next contacts T'Challa who informs her that Steve has been in the cryolab for days, won't leave, won't eat, doesn't sleep...<br/>
Immediately that's where she heads, even tho it took some time she still finds Steve there; slumped over, asleep, head resting against the container that's holding Bucky. Not wanting to wake him she sneaks in quietly and just sits. Steve wakes up dazed and confused, eyes still blurry, but spots her in the corner "who's that?! Who's here?!"<br/>
"Relax Rogers, it's just me"<br/>
"Nat? W-what are you doing here?"<br/>
Natasha looks at her phone "no service down here Rogers, it's been days of not hearing from you, How long have you actually been here?! You can't do this to yourself Rogers! it's not healthy! Plus you know some people would like to know you're alive..."  ...Steve drops his head...<br/>
"...I'm sorry... I know you feel responsible for him, I know--" Natasha stops abruptly, Steve just looks at her confused... "It's not the time for this Rogers, I'm going to go" Steve grabs her arm "What Nat?" </p><p>He snarkily continues "Tell me what else *sarcastically* "you know" ...give me another lecture, it's EXACTLY what I need-- (he takes a deep breath) I'm sorry I haven't called... I just can't-- I just can't leave yet"<br/>
Natasha angrily snaps back "You know what Rogers sometimes you can be--" she stops, takes a deep breath, and walks over to Steve... "Can we start this over? (Steve nods) ...I'm going to be blunt with you, at this point I should be; I've known you longer than most, I'd like to think we're pretty close, so just listen... I know you love Bucky" Steves eyes widen and he turns his back to her "Steve! I'm not stupid, or blind, you fought the world-- you fought the team for him! ...And I have a feeling you've loved him ever since Brooklyn... I know this isn't a friend love either, like me and Clint, hell this isn't even a brotherly love, Steve, as soon as you can admit this to yourself, to me, to anyone, I think you'd be a lot better off"<br/>
Steve turns around with tears in his eyes, all Nat can do is hug and comfort her friend. Steve tries to talk but can barely even string words together... </p><p>After a while Steve pulls himself together "Growing up back then, I couldn't act on my feelings... I was scared to death Nat. Plus you know Bucky was always out with all these beautiful girls all the time... I'm just this punk kid to him...  And with Peggy, well Peggy was beautiful, and I thought if I had to put on this front or be alone for the rest of my life, Peggy wouldn't be a bad choice at all... But I knew I could never love her, or anyone else for that matter, not truly, not the way they should be loved. I was broken, and what got me though was being Captain America! I had people counting on me! no time to be depressed! ...But that day he fell off that traincar, a part of my heart died... Then the day... the day on the bridge... I was flooded with so many emotions, I couldn't even function, I couldn't even understand... And to loose him again, It completely crushed everything left inside of me... THEN to find out what they did to him... how terrible everything must have been... how everything was my fault-- if I hadn't let him fall, none of this would have happened... I'm Captain America, Captain America doesn't just-- " Steve breaks down crying</p><p>"It's ok Steve, he's ok, you're ok, he's alive and safe because of you!"<br/>
"It doesn't matter Nat, I've lost him now, AGAIN! We can't undo what they did! Even if one day we do, then what..?"<br/>
"Then you tell him... You tell him everything you just told me, Steve!"<br/>
"So I lose him as a friend altogether?! You wouldn't understand, we're from a different time, there was a different mentality--"<br/>
"Steve! He trusted you, he fought by your side, HE REMEMBERED YOU when he couldn't even remember himself! If that isn't love Steve, then this whole world is hopeless!"<br/>
"And what's the difference if he even loves me back Nat?! You know as well as I know he could be in there for a very long time; Even with all the resources here... and the team--" Natasha cuts him off<br/>
"Umm actually... that's why I was looking for you Steve, What if I told you Tony--"<br/>
"Tony?!"<br/>
"Yea Tony... Tony has been working on something and he told T'challa not to tell you"<br/>
"What?! Really? Why would Tony of all people..."<br/>
"He misses you Steve... I mean everything that happened was a goddamn disaster, but he knows you were only protecting your friend, a friend who couldn't protect himself... And that's what he misses Steve, he misses his friend... You've got to realize he was always jealous of you, but with that also came respect. Tony respects the hell out of your leadership and figures that if he could pull this off, fix YOUR friend, this could be... I don't know, maybe some kind of truce..."<br/>
"A truce?"</p><p>"Yea like maybe we fix your friend... you sign the accords... We all go back to being one big happy dysfunctional family... (slowly trails off) Qqqquestion mark..."<br/>
Steves brain races, but both him and Nat know there's no way Steve would turn down even the slimmest chance to help Bucky, and Tony clearly knows it too...<br/>
"But--but Tonys parents..?"<br/>
"He understands Steve, Tony has actually been doing most of the research himself this time, he feels absolutely terrible, and probably still only knows about half of what Bucky was subjected to... He knows that was not YOUR Bucky"</p><p>A few days later Tony arrives at the lab... Steve walks into a room with Nat where Tony is waiting... Steve notices the accords, and a small file next to them<br/>
"What's that?"<br/>
Nat responds "you don't think you were the only one I kept in contact with do ya? I have here a conditional signature from everyone that if you're back Steve, they're back"<br/>
"...So what are the chances this will work Stark?"<br/>
"50/50, eh.. 70/30 ... Um no definitely 85/15!"<br/>
Nat snaps at him "stop playing around Tony!"<br/>
"I'm sorry, I just wanted to lighten the mood, it's not like anyone died-- ooh wait..."<br/>
"That's it! I'm out, deals off!" Steve slams the door and walks away<br/>
Nat stares at Tony "You better go get him! What the hell is wrong with you Stark?!"<br/>
Tony quickly catches up to Steve "Listen, I'm sorry, it's my defence mechanism... I'm 101% sure I have a way to fix your friend *long pause* I need you back in my life Steve, it's not the same without you.. I-I-I- already lost Pep- I can't... and I know you can't... That's why you did ALL this! You're loyal to a goddamn fault Rogers, you are... So come on, come back... Please... Steve... we CAN fix this!"<br/>
Steve has no words, he simply shakes Tonys hand and they head back.<br/>
T'challa tries to slowly wake Bucky from the cryo ... But unfortunately not slowly enough; one glimpse of Tonys face and Bucky goes into defence mode. Steve (the only one strong enough to actually contain Bucky) grabs his arms and holds him back. "Bucky! Bucky stop! Bucky! Bucky!" Steve continues to yell... It takes a few minutes but he shakes it off<br/>
"... Steve?.."<br/>
"Good, you remember me this time"<br/>
"What the hell is going on?!"<br/>
Natasha chimes in "We... They, can fix you Barnes... T'Challa and Stark--"<br/>
Bucky stares confused over at Tony<br/>
"Yea... well... it was nothing... Let's get going shall we?"</p>
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